Love makes the world go round, goes a popular phrase, but on television it’s leading to a triangle and sometimes even a quadrangle. Whether it’s Pavitra Rishta (Arjun-Ovi-Purvi), Rab Se Sona Ishq (Ranveer-Sahiba-Daljeet), Punar Vivaah (Yash-Arati-Prashant), Balika Vadhu (Jagya-Anandi-Shiv) or Parichay (Richa-Kunal-Siddhi) triangular romances are taking centre stage.
Meanwhile, serials like Bade Acche Lagte Hai and Kya Hua Tera Vaada have gone a step further to introduce a fourth angle in the romance. For instance, the love story that started between Ram and Priya became a triangle with Ayesha and now Rajat has fallen in love with Priya. In Kya Hua.. Mona’s husband Pradeep started living in with Anushka while a new guy Vineet has entered Mona’s life.
As Sukesh Motwani, Zee’s programming head, fiction, says, “We are always finding new ways of telling the same story. While triangular love stories are not new, what’s interesting is that we are moving away from the stereotype of the Indian heroine being in love with the same man. We are showing women getting over their love if they are not treated well. Whether it’s Rab Se.. where the girl runs after the guy she is in love with, only to be ignored or Phir Subah Hogi in which the protagonist realises that the guy’s love for her is destructive, the girls have moved on and are finding new partners.”
The sentiment resonates with Mona Singh who is playing Mona in Kya Hua.. “Even after her husband cheats on her, Mona is not shown sobbing or feeling helpless. She has started working, is independent and has moved on. Also, she has found a great friend in Vineet,” says Mona.
According to Prashant Bhatt, programming head, Colors, love triangles make a story-line very interesting as they change the dimensions and DNA of the whole story. “This keeps the viewers on the edge as it makes them contemplate which new angle the love story will finally take,” he reckons.
No wonder, a couple of recent launches like Qubool Hai (Asad-Zoya-Ayaan) and Junoon — Nafrat Aisi Toh Ishq Kaisa (Akash-Meera-Prithvi) have triangular romance as their backdrop. Says producer Yash Patnaik, “Love triangle always interests audience as it dwells on a very interesting aspect of a relationship.”
Rajan Shahi whose Amrit Manthan is based on this very premise — two sisters Amrit and Nimrit in love with Agav, sums it up best. “A love story rests on the chemistry of the couple but once that’s in place, you need a third angle to bring a conflict. There has to be slight threat and it has to be romantic as we have used up the parental obstacles in the past,” says the producer who has introduced a third angle even in his family saga Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai wherein a girl is trying to create trouble bet Naitik and Akshara. With producers cashing in on love triangles, love has literally gone 3D!
